Hot top blocking



June 30, 1942. B. F. ANTHONY norm BLOCKING Filed Oct. 22, 1940 INVENTOR. EE/YJA'Ml/Y ffl/wwo/vy Mg 2 ATTORNEY5 Patented June 30, 1942 HOT TOP BLOCKING Benjamin F. Anthony, Youngstown, hio, as-

signor to The Ferro Engineering Company, Cleveland, Ohio,. a'corporation of Ohio Application October 22, '1940, Serial No. 362,210

' 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hot top blocking, and has reference particularly to means for holding blocks upon a hot top temporarily in a manner that will insure theirremaining in place while the hot top is being moved about in the steel plant and while it is being set into the mold preparatory to the steel pouring operation. As is well known in thefart, the function of such blocks in connection with the floating type of hot top is to support-the latter additionally to place blocks while guiding the hot top. 1 An object of the invention, therefore, is to temporarily during the pouring of the metal.

After the pouring is completed, the blocks are knocked out and the hot top floats, descending into the mold to a certain extent withthe shrinking of the metal upon cooling.

In large steel plants, particularly those in which composite hot tops are employed, there is generally a space set apart for hot top servicing where linings are repaired, bottom rings mounted in place, holes, cracks and joints cemented, etc. The ingot molds are brought up on. buggies into or adjacent this space, and each hot top is then lifted by a crane into position over a mold. In accordance with the present practice, workmen then guide the hot top as iti's, lowered by the crane and at the same time hold blocks in place to engage the hot top as it settles in position on the mold. The hottops as well as the molds are preheated. The platform from which the hot tops are taken is at about the same height as the upper end surfaces of the molds while supported on their buggies, and a workman, in order to guide. a hot top and place the supporting blocks in position, must stand with one foot on a mold and the other on the platform and he must, of course, bend down to put the blocks in position. In order todo this he muststrike an awkward posture, with the con sequence that this work'presents a considerable safety hazard;

pear as I proceed withthe description of that provide means for effecting a complete assembly of blocks and hot top so that the assembly may be handled as a unit.

Another object is to eliminate the safety hazard.

Another object is to effect better and more stable blocking of the hot top.

Still another object is to effect a saving of time in the mounting of the hot top on the mold.

- Other objects and features of novelty will apembodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmental vertical sectional view of a hot top embodying my invention.

Fig.2 is an elevational view of the same.

Fig 3 is a horizontal sectional view on a smaller scale, the section being taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the blocks by means of which the hottop issupported from the mold during the pouring of the metal.

In the drawing I have indicated at I ll the upper end of an ingot mold in which a hot top is temporarily blocked up. It comprises two casing elements i l and H as herein illustrated, although the invention is equally applicable to a one-piece casing, an upper lining l3, a sheet metal wiper for this reason that the casing is sometimes by eliminated to a great extent. Furthermore,

the positioning of the blocks is much more accurately done, with the consequence that the hot tops are set properly in the molds and the blocks are never dislodged during transit to the. pouring station. Also the operation of setting the hot tops into'the molds is speeded up because the workmen have only to guide the hot top and not 55 In accordance with the present invention, I

madein two sections the lower one ofwhich is removable and replaceable. The upper section i I has abottom flange I6 and the lower section 52 has a top flange ll. These two flanges are secured together by suitable means such as bolts l8. In the case of a one-piece casing there is a horizontal rib similar in form to-flange IT.

The hot top is supported upon the mold tem- I porarily by a plurality of wooden blocks 9 which may have square lower ends or beveled lower ends as herein shown, both styles being common in the art. As indicated in Fig. 3, therev may be three of-these blocks, two on one side of the hot top and. another on the opposite side,thereby provide spring clips for releasably holding the blocks I! in position against the side walls of the hot top. These clips may vary more or less in construction so long as they exert frictional pressure on the blocks tending to prevent accidental displacement of the same. The preferred strucinwardly and upwardly turned hook 23 that is adapted to engage the block. The clip is mounted in place by simply inserting its straight end 20 into a drilled hole 24 which extends upwardly from the lower surface of flange II. If desired, a groove may be cut into the lower surface of .fiange I! to accommodate the intermediate portion 2| of the clip and make the same flush with the lower surface of the flange, but this is not at all essential.

When a clip is in place and a block I9 is pushed into position behind the clip, the portion v22 of the latter is flexed. The hook extremity 23 which engages the block as 'it is forced upwardly toward the flange ll permits the insertion of the block but tends to catch in the wood and prevent the withdrawal of the block. However, smooth-ended clips have been found to'function quite satisfactorily.

When one of these hot tops is being serviced after use in a mold, clips 22 are put into the holes 24, the hot top at this time being carried 1 by its trunnions in a rack which permits it to be turned over so that the holes 24 will be directed upwardly. The blocks l9 are forced into position hot top and preventing them from being disholding the blocks against the side walls of the lodged accidentally.

2. In a hot top adapted to be supported upon an ingot mold during the pouring operation by a plurality of upright blocks, means on the hot top comprising outwardly projecting abutments for the upper ends of the blocks, said abutments mounted in said holes and having resilient portions to frictionally engage and hold said blocks in place against the side walls of the hot top.

either before or after the wiper strip and bottom ring are in place. .The length of blocks used varies in accordance with the extent to which it is desired to have the hot top extend into the mold, which in turn controls the weight of the ingot within certain limits. Now, with the blocksin position, the hot top is mounted in a mold and the metal is poured. When the pouring is completed, the blocks l9 are knocked out sidewise. The clips may then fall out of place, which, however, is of no real importance as their cost is very low. A clip of the particularform herein disclosed has the special advantage that the hole 24 which takes it extends upwardly from the bottom surface of the flange l1, and hence there is no danger of hot metal being splashed into the hole and partly clogging it or sealing in a broken clip.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. In a hot top adapted to be supported upon an ingot mold during the pouring operation by a plurality of upright blocks, means on the hot top comprising outwardly projecting abutments for the upper ends of 'the blocks, and spring clips removably mounted in the hot top for frictionally 3. In a hot top adapted to be supported upon an ingot mold during the pouring operation by a plurality of upright blocks, means on the hot top comprising outwardly projecting abutments for the upper ends, of the blocks, said abutments having holes therein extending upwardly from the lower sides thereof, and spring clips removably mounted in said holes and having resilient portions to frictionally engage and hold said blocks in place against the side walls of the hot top.

4. In a hot top adapted to be supported upon an ingot mold during the pouring operation by a plurality of blocks, means on the hot top comprising abutments for the upper ends of the blocks, said abutments having drilled holes extending upwardly from the lower sides of the abutments, resilient wire clips having straight ends projecting into said holes, and opposite end portions adapted to frlctionallyengage and hold said blocks in place against the side walls of the hot top.

5. In a hot top adapted to be supported upon an ingot mold during the pouring operation by a plurality of blocks, means on the hot top comprising abutments for the upper ,ends of the blocks, and spring clips mounted in the hot top for frictionally holding the blocks against the side walls of the hot top and preventing them from being dislodged accidentally, said clips having work engaging portions with upwardly and inwardly directed hook ends permitting ready insertion of the blocks endwise and opposing withdrawal of the blocks endwise in the opposite direction.

6. In a hot top adapted to be supported upon an ingot mold during the pouring operation by a plurality of blocks, means on the hot top comprising abutments for the upper ends of the blocks, said abutments having drilled holes extending upwardly from the lower sides of the abutments, resilient wire clips having straight ends fitting within said holes, and opposite end portions extending downwardly and inwardly to frictionally engage and hold said blocks in place against the sidewalls of the hot top, the flexing of said last named end portions by the insertion of the blocks being transmitted to said first named end portions and causing them to bind in their holes.

BENJAMIN F. ANTHONY. 

